HARARE – Comedian Felistas Murata, better known as Mai Titi, is to pay Z$500,000 (US$6,000) to her ex-friend in defamation damages, the High Court has ordered.
The lawsuit followed an internet row during which Murata labelled Memory Muyaka a prostitute and a cultist.
Muyaka, the owner of Khloe’s Home Decor (Private) Limited, said the utterances tarnished her business and social standing as a Christian and a married woman.
Murata wrote several posts on Facebook last November and in April this year. Her page is followed by 170,000 people.
“Whereupon after reading documents filed on record and hearing counsel it is ordered that the defendant pays the plaintiff in the sum of $500,000 at the prescribed interest rate starting from the date of judgement up to the date of payment in full,” Justice Edith Mushore ruled.
Murata claimed that Muyaka was a witch and a cultist baying for her blood.
“The said broadcasts stated that the plaintiff was a prostitute, a witch, a gossiper and someone who blackmails her clients,” Muyaka’s lawyers Mundia and Mudhara Legal Practitioners said in her lawsuit.
The lawyers accused the comedian of having published that Muyaka and three others were part of the Illuminati, a secret society that is believed to be involved in Satanism and that they wanted to kill her.
“This was false and intended by the defendant to impute that plaintiff is an evil person. This statement is wrongful and defamatory of the plaintiff who is a Christian,” the lawyers added.
Murata further published that Muyaka had given charms to her husband so that he does not complain or question her when she commits adultery.
Muyaka said all this was false.
